A Touch of Blue
by Syane
Summary: When Seiryuu calls upon his miko for a second time, can Yui and her seishi fulfill their divine destiny and rise above the cold touch of fate? A tale of redemption--and of bonds that can never die. Witness the wonder of reincarnation.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: _Fushigi Yuugi _ and associated characters belong to Watase Yuu and others.

Beta-read by the wonderful KittyLynne, who is this fic's guardian angel.

A Touch of Blue A tale of the Seiryuu Seishi 

Prologue: Dragon Awakening 

**********

Can the love of a lifetime fade away?

Love is something that is expressed, accepted, cherished and kept close to the heart. It becomes a light, guiding one through the dark trials in life, giving courage and strength to overcome the blackest of nights. It would seem that to love can only mean one's salvation. And yet, there is another kind of love, where feelings are hidden and suppressed, locked fast in the soul, though it is not any lesser in strength. Even when it is hidden, it seems that love can never be ignored and can never die, because it is stubbornly kept alive by memory…

Perhaps in the end, Nakago realized that.

Then again, possibly not.

He denied himself happiness and satisfaction, denied himself all the numerous chances for salvation that were flung at him- all for the sake of bitter ambition and revenge. A man who could have been so much, the brightest star in Seiryuu's constellation, had been reduced to playing the clichéd villain with a thirst for vengeance. Revenge seems futile in death, does it not Nakago? You can't answer me now, of course, but then again, I'm not the person to whom you should answer. 

That person is now in another world , where you are now headed too. Reborn into another life. Given a second chance. Knowing you, maybe this chance will be squandered as well. Still, I hope, as I've always done, that this time round it won't be in vain. Second chances are hard to come by, Nakago. I was never given one. And you don't deserve one. I wonder what Seiryuu and the gods were thinking when you were reincarnated in the real world? It's none of my concern, of course. What do I know about the ways of gods?

I forget he cannot hear me. It is just as well. 

Be that as it may, all of it is in the past. My narrative is set in the future and it concerns someone else, not the former Shogun of Kutou, nor the former Seiryuu no seishi. It concerns someone quite ordinary. Someone who once, in another life, let go of hope, let go of love.

I call it a tale because it began in the pages of a book and has now found its way into reality. 

It's a tale of love once lost in the bitterness of war, but destined to come alive with… _a touch of blue_.

***

Before I begin my curious story, perhaps you should know a little about me, your humble storyteller. I'm afraid there is not much to say… indeed what can be said of a being that can be only seen in man's belief and imagination? A being that cannot be called living, nor dismissed as 'dead.' The term 'exists' is the perfect word that should be applied to me, with its subtle difference in meaning from 'life'.

Ah. But I confuse you. You are probably now thinking,  "what in the name of Seiryuu is all this twaddle? Is it even remotely connected with the Universe of the Four Gods?" And then the scary but inevitable conclusion dawns on you: "This narrator is a ghost!"

You are partly right.

I am a kami, a spirit that floats anywhere and everywhere in the world of mortals, can cross over worlds, and even enter a mortal's thoughts and fantasies. _Enter_, but alas, not influence or remain. I touch and yet cannot hold onto this wonderful living world, pulsing with feelings of passion, desire, hope, betrayal, sadness and tragedy. Life, human life, is wonderful with the gift of feeling and I mourn my loss every single moment.

Who am I, you ask again? You may remember me as I once was, but who I am is not important. The tale I tell is far more important than the spinner of that tale.

***

Picture me now as a breath of wind, rustling the emerald leaves of a plant just outside the abode of the All-Knowing Mother of Gods. Through the large window, I see Taiits-kun sits alone. Her wise, ancient head drops low, her bearing is tensed and an occasional shudder racks her frame. A year has passed since the summoning of Suzaku and not much has changed. The vast white hall is still as opulently decorated as before, with rich curtains, tapestries and paintings of mystical scenes. Gold glitters off everywhere, on the ceilings, walls… all that is not white is tinged with gold, and Taiits-kun's throne gleams the brightest of all.  

But wait- there are no Nyan-Nyans! Not a single whisper, save that of the summer breeze, echoes through the immense, silent chamber. It is empty. People say that humble, broken-down places are the bleakest, but the truth maybe quite the opposite. A banquet, when laid for a hundred and attended by five, is a much more sorry affair than one simple meal shared by five. Similarly, without the gay chatter and mischievous, busy ways of the Nyan-Nyans, Taiits-kun's palatial abode is desolate and the emptiness is emphasized, rather than checked, by her very self.

 I steal closer on airy feet, and then pause behind a marble column gilded with gold. Closeness reveals clearly what the distance had hid: Taiits-kun is worried. She does not sense my approach as she normally would have done, and instead is watching the large mirror that floats by her side. No clear image is reflected there as of yet. Then, as we watch, a wreath of blue mist slowly appears in the glassy depths, accompanied by the heady aroma of burning incense and the sound of crashing waves.

Seiryuu-seikun.  

To be very honest, at this moment I feel inclined to slip away, tale or no tale. The awesome presence of Seiryuu pervades the hall, and if I were flesh and blood, sharp tingles would have rushed down my spine, along with a chill, for the God of War had always terrified me since when I had breathed. The passing of time has not quelled that fear. I am still afraid. But I am here for a reason- the story begins from this point, and so I muster up the courage to stay. 

Taiits-kun gazes steadily into the mirror where a hazy image of Seiryuu is visible. She does not openly _talk_, but communicates with him in spirit, and I listen to the exchange of thoughts. Eavesdropping, yes. But you will excuse me when you realize how significant this event is. So without shame, I sneak in on the gods' conversation.

_"It must be done."_ Seiryuu's thoughts are like the cascade of cold water; a roaring waterfall racing down mountains. I shiver unseen.

"What you say has never been done before. A miko entering this world again to summon a god for a second time? It is madness. I cannot allow it."

_"Kutou is in ruins. Do you prefer the destruction of my country?"_

"No!! I certainly don't _prefer_ that. But there must be some other option. Your miko is not strong. To succeed in eliminating this evil, a strong presence is needed."

"I believe in her. That is enough. She will defeat the enemy." 

"Then there is the matter of seishi. Three of them have already passed over to the other world and the rest of them are scattered in Kutou or wherever. Being reincarnated, they will have no memory of their past. They can be of no assistance to their miko."

_"At the right moment their memories will awaken."_

"Are you sure Seiryuu no Miko will agree to this? After what happened to her the previous summoning?"

_"She cannot escape her karma. It is fated and it will be so. You surely know that."_

"Still…"

_"I have reason to trust she will not refuse a second chance."_

"Second chances come at a very great price. However, the instability of Kutou threatens the fragile balance of this world. The enemy must be defeated. Very well, _it will be done_."

_"Shall she arrive now?"_

"No. It's too dangerous. Let the seishi first prepare her way. And then… may the miko be victorious."

The mist clears away with the vision of Seiryuu, and the mirror floats off to an unobtrusive corner. Taiits-kun looks more aged than ever as she leans back on her throne, muttering to herself.

"To pry open old memories is a painful, thankless task. Especially in your case, Seiryuu. I hope you know what you have undertaken." 

I agree with you, O Wise One. Seldom are remembrances of a previous life anything other than agony. But so many questions were left unanswered then, left hanging till it became too late. When the past lies incomplete, can it not be reconciled in the present? 

That is another question to be left unanswered.

For the time being. 

***

From the world of fiction, we now come to reality.

In Tokyo…

Are you surprised? Do you wonder how came I to the real world? Remember I am a spirit. Barriers erected between different realms cannot hold back one such as I. Now, to continue…

With a gasp and a start, Hongou Yui, Seiryuu no miko, wakes from a dreamless slumber. She does not know what disturbed her; premonition, feeling of impending crisis, or maybe-

A distant voice echoes dimly through her thoughts.

_"Yui-sama!"_

Yui brushes the feeling away. She has had her fill of nightmares the last year, and has no intention of reliving that experience. She is just Hongou Yui, high school student. A normal, ordinary final-year student with worries about school, exams, college and- and… and nothing else. Nothing.

_Liar, _she thinks_._

Sweat drips down her forehead. Pulling on a robe, Yui goes to the window and leans quietly on the sill, looking up at the sky. There is no moon tonight, though multitudes of stars shine in fiery brightness. The silvery light falls on her pale, upturned face, illuminating the dusky blue eyes that now glisten with drops of moisture. A solitary leaf twirls down with a wandering breeze, its dance of death in descent. 

If she could just close her eyes and shut her ears to the raucous noises of traffic coming from the nearby highway, she could almost, almost really believe herself back in the palace, where the moon shone down on the empty courtyard, causing every blade of grass and speck of stone to stand out in the milky radiance, where Soi would walk in the shadows, always silent, a breathing shadow, where Nakago would detail plans in his flat, formal tone, plans to ensure the victory of Seiryuu, plans which would crumble in the dust with him and his miko. And where _he_…    

Well, she is not there. They are not there either.

She gazes at the sky again, eyes unwittingly trying to pick out the constellations and failing. _Does the same moon rise there? Is the sky same? Then… where are the stars? _

_Stupid question. They're dead. He's dead. The End._

The leaf disappears from her view and the night air turns bitterly cold. Yui closes the window and goes back to bed, tucking the sheets tight around her as if to ward off cold and the spirits of memory that persist in haunting her. On an empty, scrupulously clean, tidy bedside table, a silver framed photograph of  herself and Tetsuya is placed. They are smiling, an expression that seems incongruous in the darkened room, where ghosts still linger. 

She stares at the patterns drawn on the floor by the play of starlight and shadow, and in a moment falls asleep. Deaf to voices from the past.

_"Seiryuu no Miko…"_

"Yui-sama, believe me! I love you, Yui-sama!" 

She blocks out the voices, because if she listened, it would begin all over again; the pain and regret and guilt, all making her life a living hell. "_Failure is the stepping-stone to success_," some old fool said. No. Failure leads the path to hell. She knows that. And yet, she has everything now, everything she had tried so hard to attain _there _- love, friendship, respect- everything important to her. She is strong now. And nothing else matters. Nothing else remains.

_Nothing?_

A wooden bureau stands in a farther corner, hidden in the darkness. It is full of old clothes, toys, a couple of photo albums, some favorite childhood books, and other common things from her youth. Stashed at its very back, behind a small bundle of washed out socks, is a sorry-looking, discolored cardboard box, frayed and torn around the edges. 

Inside it, there is a blue school-tie carrying traces of blood.

Yui never opens that box.

Can the love of a lifetime fade away if it is ignored?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Coming next— Chapter I : **Wish, come true**


	2. Wish, come true

Disclaimer: _Fushigi Yuugi _and characters belong to Watase Yuu and others. Anything that is not FY- related is original, except for 'Yuuan.' It's a real restaurant in Tokyo, which I DON'T own. I'm using it just for the sake of fiction.

Spoilers: TV series and Seiran Den.

Timeline: A year after the TV series, so kindly forget the OVAs. ^_^

**Note: Italics within ~*~ indicate the narrator's thoughts. Elsewhere, it refers to the direct thoughts of a character. **

This story is in no way connected to my other fic 'The Second Coming.' I'm using only my original characters here.

Thank you all very much for reading the prologue! 

Beta-read by the wonderful, wonderful KittyLynne who has helped immensely in bringing this fic to such a good form!

**********

**A Touch of Blue** **_A tale of the Seiryuu Seishi_**

**Chapter I : Wish, come true**

***************

6 AM.

A loud, persistent noise vibrated harshly through Yui's ears, partially rousing her from the depths of Morpheus' realm. In an almost simultaneous movement, her hand shot out to attack the alarm, while she burrowed deeper into the bed sheets. Unfortunately, the noise persisted as it issued not from the alarm, but from the telephone at her bedside. She tried to ignore it, her sleep-induced logic dictating, _if I ignore it, it will go away._

The phone kept ringing.

After some lethargic undulations beneath the sheets, Yui managed to open a bleary eye so she could locate the phone and see the caller's number that was blinking on its display. In a flash, she snatched it up, as all traces of sleep fled from her mind. _Tetsuya's calling at SIX in the morning?_

"Tetsuya!" She gasped breathlessly. "What's wrong?" 

"Well, good morning to you too!"

"_Tetsuya!_ Don't kid around. Are you all right? What happened?"

"I'm fine! Everything's fine! Calm down… I just wanted to talk."

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Yui ran a hand through her tangled length of hair. Pale light from the breaking dawn filtered in through the blinds, casting bars of light and shadow on her pensive face. A careless patch of sunlight fell on the framed photograph on her bedside table and Yui stared at the frozen, smiling figures absently, not seeing anything but the fine film of dust that covered the glass. _I must really clean off that picture one of these days! _

Aloud she said, "Umm… so what should we talk about at six in the morning?"

"Sorry, but I thought I'd catch you early, before you leave for… _classes_." Something in Tetsuya's tone as he mentioned the word 'classes' gave Yui a twinge of guilt.

"Today's Sunday, and I'm free the whole day. It's just weekdays that I'm busy with classes and-"

"Too busy to even call, Yui?"

Yui shifted uncomfortably. "Exactly what are you trying to say, Tetsuya?"

An exasperated sigh echoed through the phone, then the hard edge in Tetsuya's voice softened to a coaxing tone. "It's been almost a week since we really saw each other, Yui-chan. You never return my calls and even if we do meet, it's just hi-'bye stuff. I just want to know what's going on."

"Nothing's going on. Classes are pretty intense these days and … I'm trying to do well in school." Yui lied uneasily, while the real reasons for her avoiding not only Tetsuya, but also most of her friends and family, ran through her mind; reasons that had remained inside her for an entire year, slowly eating away at her, much as she tried not to think of them. 

_Even if I do tell you, Tetsuya, you wouldn't understand, because I can't figure it out myself. I don't understand why after all this time, after all that happened there… why I miss them. That's my problem. I can't look at you and the others in the face and act like everything's fine with me, because it's not._

_I miss my seishi._

"Don't give me that! I know how tough school must be, but Yui, not even a single call for a week? I can't help feeling that you're trying to avoid me."

_I can't help thinking about what happened to them. Still can't help thinking and wishing that things had been different… but it's too late for that. Now, after they're all dead, it's too late. It's not like we'd be given a second chance or anything. No…no. If we were, we'd probably mess that up too. Seiryu just made a mistake, choosing me. I was a screwed-up miko, leading a perverted group of seishi, who tried to summon a heartless god for all the wrong reasons._

_It was all a mistake._

"Yui? Yui, are you still there?"

"Wha- oh, Tetsuya. What were you saying?" 

Tetsuya sighed harder, a sigh of defeat. "Never mind. How about lunch today? I'll pick you at noon."

"Well, I-"

"No buts! We've got to talk, and _you've_ got to take a break. You're studying too hard!"

"If you'd let me speak, I was going to say lunch would be lovely."

"Oh. See you at around twelve then. 'Bye and love ya!" There was an audible '_click'_ as the line went dead.

"Love you too." 

Yui sat unmoving, still clutching the dead phone tight in her hands as if she expected to hear something more. After a slow minute, she replaced it. Through the closed door, she heard her mother leave the apartment, heading for work even on a Sunday morning. It was half-past six. 

Rising from the bed, she went to her table and stood watching the photograph blankly, trying to remember when it was taken. She looked so happy…._ what a contradiction_, she thought for a moment, then turned that thought away.

Yui wiped the glass surface clean.  

**********

_~*~ Have you forgotten me? Your faithful narrator still flits around, an unobserved spectator who has a good idea of the events yet to come. _

_You might care to ask me, if this is the tale of seishi, why do I bother with the miko? Ah, but no tale of seishi is complete without the miko. She is the sole reason why a seishi is born, and it is she who shapes their destiny, from birth till the very end. To fully understand a warrior's life, we must first know the priestess; hence my preoccupation with the Seiryu no Miko. _

_However, I must be frank. I care for only one of the Seiryu seishi, not the whole of them, and it is for his sake that I am here at all. Nakago is now in Tokyo and though I am consumed with longing and curiosity to see him and to find out what he's become, I cannot do that yet. There is another person whom I must introduce to you first._

_With the loss of the physical body, time loses its tyrannical hold. There is no past for me and neither is there a future… I exist in a limitless 'present.' To the Seiryu no Miko, time is just about six in the morning. But as I move from the window where I have been sitting watching over her, surprise, surprise, the sun is now almost overhead and Yui is getting hurriedly dressed, preparing to meet Tetsuya. The missing intermediate time has just blurred away._

_The clock strikes half-past eleven, it's tones counting the irrevocable passage of mortal time. _

_I float out lazily on an obliging breeze and soon find myself before my next destination. ~*~_

***

The sky was a fair, benevolent blue with a few scattered, wind-swept clouds that only hinted of possible rain; there was no sign yet of the sweltering summer heat that had plagued Tokyo the past week. Being a Sunday morning, there was less traffic in the highways and the suburban streets lay quiet in the warm July sunshine, where a random car whizzed by, briefly interrupting the silence. It was the perfect prelude to a pleasant day, the balmy air filled with pleasurable expectations for the usual summer festivities. 

Nevertheless, nature gave no sign of the impending wondrous events set in motion by Seiryu himself since his meeting with Taiits-kun.        

In one middle-class suburban street, in the driveway of a neat, two-storied house bordered by flowering shrubs, a young, red-haired man stood washing his car. His movements were careful, the strokes he used upon it appearing to be more like a loving massage than a scrub, and leaving no doubt in an onlooker's mind as to the ownership of the car. The vehicle was a second-hand commodity of an unremarkable make, gray in color and needing an new coat of paint. But to Reizo Nakamura, it symbolized his freedom, his independence and his capacity to stand on his own. Second-hand? To him, it was invaluable, meriting the tenderest of care. 

***

_~*~ However interesting Reizo might be, he is not connected to the universe of the four gods. That person is inside the house and for a moment I almost see bolts of lightning snaking from the heavens, a sign of the awesome power of Seiryu, although the sky shines a placid blue and white clouds waft by on a slight breeze. I keep forgetting that she hasn't regained her memories yet… ~*~_

_***_

With a flourish of satisfaction, Reizo threw the rag into the car through the open back window, then walked quickly up the driveway and opened the front door of his home. He was more than ready for a relaxing breakfast in front of the TV after a job well done- a modest reward which unfortunately was not meant to be.

"Reizo, I need the car this morning," declared his elder sister Ayame with consummate nonchalance. 

Visions of his beloved car being towed to the mechanic danced before Reizo's eyes, as Ayame was not, in his expert opinion, a competent driver. By all kami alive, Reizo swore, he wasn't going to let her have his car, his sole valuable, not after he had scrubbed it _cleeeean,_ long in the better part of a Sunday morning!

 "Can't you take the bus? There's a reason public transport exists, you know."

 "Now why would I need public transport when my dear brother is _dying_ to give me his car, after all the money I gave him to buy it? Keys please."  While Reizo considered the car to be solely his from engine to spare wheel, bought by his own money, the fact that most of _his_ money had come from Ayame often conveniently slipped his mind. _Still, that doesn't change the fact that she sucks as a driver!_ Reizo grumbled to himself. 

"How about Mom's car?" he asked hopefully.

"She's working today, just as I am. C'mon, Reizo, I don't have all day! So hurry up, give me the keys."

"Ayame, you work in a _restaurant_. You can take the bus."

"Oh excuse me, but it was the _restaurant_ job that helped pay for that car! And don't forget, we agreed to share it between us. If you're not giving me the car, I'll just ask Eisen to give me a lift." She gave him a decidedly wicked wink.

Reizo groaned. Eisen was Ayame's boyfriend, and a sore subject between brother and sister. Ayame thought Eisen was adorable. Reizo most definitely did not, for a variety of reasons which only he knew best with the cunning faculty of astute perception given to all brothers. This was just a way of making him hand over the keys, Reizo knew. Leave it to Ayame to capitalize over his dislike for that creep she dated. But then, the restaurant was quite far off, almost at the other end of the city. __

"That's right, just blackmail me with that jerk! Oh here- take them!" Reizo tossed the shiny bunch at her with bad grace. _There goes my big date tonight…_

"Since it's useless to reason with you, I'll pass over that nasty remark now. But Reizo, I don't see why you're so troubled. You can have the car by six o'clock. So if you've got a date, don't worry."

"It's not that…I uh- well-" Reizo fumbled, caught off-balance by his sister's correct guess, then recovered. "Just drive carefully, okay? Don't you DARE get it dirty like last time and don't try putting makeup or anything stupid when driving-"

"Look, I'm the elder sister here. Don't lecture _me_ on what to do."

"I wouldn't if you could drive decently. Last week the breaks were jammed and-"

"But that wasn't my fault!"

"How come that never happens when I take the car? Then before-"

"Ja ne!"

Ayame hurried outside, slipped inside the much-argued-about, squeaky-clean car and quickly eased it onto the road. _Really, Reizo can be difficult when it comes to this piece of junk_, she mused._ And if he's is so dead set against Eisen, I wish he'd at least let me know why, instead of calling Eisen-san names! He is a good man… _In the midst of musing over her boyfriend, she suddenly caught sight of herself in the rear-view mirror. 

"Oh no, I've forgotten my blush!" Ayame wailed aloud in distress. Oh dear. Too late now, since she was on the highway. Adjusting the mirror back to its proper position and turning on the stereo, Ayame pushed perceptive brothers, 'good' boyfriends, and her too-pale cheeks to the back of her mind, as she concentrated on driving with, what was for her, the utmost of care.

***

_~*~ While Ayame is occupied with traffic, let us get better acquainted with her, since she plays an important role in this story._

_ Ayame Kaen Nakamura is twenty years of age, comes from a solid middle-class family and after completing an unremarkable education, works in a restaurant located in a classy section of Tokyo. _

_Apart from the surprisingly familiar name 'Kaen,' the rest is unknown to you. Ayame Nakamura seems a stranger to us. But if we look closer, Ayame appears a little more familiar, reminding us of someone whom we know. With her deep burgundy hair, tip-tilted greenish gray eyes set in a sweet, heart-shaped face and those delicate features, in form we know her quite well indeed, even if there is no character 'tassel' glowing blue on her thigh. _

_However, the resemblance ends there. The once flowing tumult of silky hair is now cut short to a very practical, perky, shoulder length. A confident, amiable expression sits on her face, a far cry from the silent, brooding woman of before. As Ayame Kaen listens to karaoke music and sings along with Megumi Hayashibara on the stereo, it's a little hard to place the image of Seiryu no Shichi seishi Soi beside her and appreciate the similarity instantly._

_Contrary to the popular laws of reincarnation, Kaen- for convenience's sake I revert to her middle name- entertains no strange and unaccountable memories, has had no out-of-place nightmares hinting of a traumatized past nor any thoughts of death in any circumstances. She is quite comfortable in the presence of dragons (images, of course) and foreign, blonde men. _

_If you should whisper in her ear that, in a previous life she had been a warrior for a Dragon god and had died defending a deep but unrequited love, Kaen would scoff at the unearthly idea. 'A warrior? Me? Suuure, and I was the Dragon's queen,' would be the sarcastic reply. 'Throw my life away for some loser, for one who had simply ignored me? Ha ha, yeah, right!'_

_Truth be told, it does seem Kaen shares very little in common with Soi, apart from her form and love of makeup. But certain things in a soul never pass away, even if it dies and is born again. It only needs a touch in the right direction to emerge. One's entire life is engraved in the soul. It is not something that can be easily forgotten… especially when it involves memories of love unreturned, as we will find out in good time. ~*~_

***

An uneventful half-hour drive brought Kaen near to her workplace. Pulling into a parking area, she switched off the engine and hurriedly stepped out of the car, leaving the keys behind. Kaen worked as a waitress in a restaurant called 'Yuuan,' a modern and sophisticated dining area that had a strict code of conduct for employees that did not tolerate tardiness. As the clock struck twelve, she knew she was late by an hour and hastened inside the eatery through the back entrance, hoping to slip in without attracting the notice of her superior.

"Kaen-chan! You made it in time- I almost thought you won't show up," gushed a grinning co-worker. Kaen stared at the beaming woman suspiciously, not used to such blatant signs of adoration. 

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly, to the other woman's discomfiture. Kaen was never one for beating around any bush.

"Oh, nothing, nothing. Well…I was just wondering if, since you're a _liiitle_ bit late, you'd be so kind to take my shift later."

Kaen was not happy. Having the second shift too meant she was stuck there till ten. _Jeez, this is a part-time job and I'm ALWAYS here. Seems like I'll be a waitress for life!_ She caught the glint in the other woman's eye and understood the unspoken threat- 'take my shift or face the consequences for my reporting that you're coming in late the third time this week!' 

Kaen sighed. Faulty time management can get one into such difficulties. With a brother who seldom cut her a break and an adorable, but too-intense boyfriend, it was no wonder she often ended up with other people taking advantage of her like this. _And I also really need this job…_ _no use whining, I have to pay my dues_. "Fine, I'll stay."

 "K-chan, you're the best! I'll leave now.. and oh, there's a couple at table # 9. You'd better get going."

_Guess what goes around, comes around. I got smart with Reizo and now look at me!_

"Yeah." 

Kaen peeked round to see table # 9 where a pretty blond girl and a good looking guy wearing sunglasses indoors were seated, and deep in conversation. She smoothed down her uniform and hoped she looked presentable even without rouge. Assuming her best professional, I'm-here-to-serve-you smile, Kaen took two of the menu cards kept at the back and walked up to table # 9.

***

_~*~ I rub my hands with what might have been expectant pleasure as Kaen draws near to table # 9, where quite naturally, Yui and Tetsuya are seated. The power of a god is indeed breathtaking. Seiryu has successfully brought together characters of fiction and reality, and soon, I hope to witness a miracle- the inner awakening of a reincarnated seishi._

_But what is this? The conversation between Yui and her boyfriend is becoming rather interesting… ~*~_

*********

"Tetsuya, are you sure this place isn't that expensive?"

Tetsuya had picked Yui a little before twelve and had refused to tell her where they were headed for lunch. There was a very nice place where one could just talk and relax, he said and no, he wouldn't tell her where. Now, Yui was looking around with slightly awe-struck eyes. The restaurant seemed very exclusive, probably one of those posh places where even simple tofu cost sky-high. The color scheme was made up of beige, gold and sparkling glass everywhere, and out through the windows a well-kept flower garden was visible with meandering walks, small waterfalls and quaint bridges. In a word, it looked _expensive_.

"Ne, let me worry about that. The food's very good here."

"You've come here before?" _You've come here before WITHOUT me?_

"Iie, but I had it from the best authority. Taka brought Miaka here a couple of days back and…"

Yui laughed. "I get it. The food must be very good!" 

Tetsuya removed his sunglasses, and, resting his chin on one hand, gazed at her with tenderness. 

Yui smiled. He had helped her a lot. Dealing with the horrible aftermath of summoning Seiryu had left her as a mere shell of a person, unable to face life. Tetsuya had always been there for her, a steady presence in the suddenly strange and trivial world of school, exams and normal human beings. They'd been going out for a few months now, taking things slow till she felt truly ready for a serious relationship. Until she felt sure of herself. Whenever that would be.

"It's been so long since I saw you smile, Yui." 

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well, you should bring me more often to places like this," she said impishly.

"Hey, you don't want me to go broke, do you?"

She laughed again and began to relax. The place had a very soothing ambiance with light music and their table was in a secluded nook, which even in midday appeared to have the soft dimness of evening. All the doubts and insecurities she had felt earlier seemed to have subsided. Maybe she _did_ need a break.

"So Yui… now can you tell me what's going on?" 

"Umm…" Yui chewed on a fingernail reflectively. What was she to tell him… 'Tetsuya, I keep thinking about my seishi and I feel guilty about them, and the feeling increases every time I see Taka, who brings back oh, so vividly their memories?' She mentally shook her head as the good feeling began to ebb. Tetsuya had made it clear several times before as to what he thought about the Seiryu seishi and since Yui did not agree with him, she preferred not to bring that topic up herself. There were some things she could never talk about, not with Tetsuya, nor anyone, and the Seiryu no Miko was one such issue. After all, who really liked to dwell on their mistakes? 

"Nothing's going on," Yui stated for the second time that day. 

"Yui… is it- uh- does it have anything to do with the universe of the four gods?" asked Tetsuya, disregarding her lame, clearly-untruthful reply.

 "You mean, the Universe of the Four Gods?" _How could he possibly know that? _

"Yes. Does it?"

"I- maybe."

To her surprise, Tetsuya did not seem annoyed. He placed his sunglasses in his shirt pocket and clasped his hands on the table. A waitress who came near was sent off with a polite,  "we'd like a few more minutes, please."

"Sure. Take your time." She moved away gracefully.

"Are you having nightmares again?" He asked patiently and took Yui's hand with a gentle caress.

"No, not nightmares. It's just that I… I've been thinking about _them_." There. She said it.

"_Them_ as in…?"

"My seishi."

"Oh."

A light rain had begun to fall outside, drops of water sliding down the glass panes till only a dark-green indistinct blur could be seen of the garden. Yui felt cold, almost as if the rain's chill had seeped inside her. It's a funny thing how we can associate simple elements of nature with one's past, she thought. A summer shower was enough to take her back to Kutou. 

She stared out at the drizzling rain, with a brooding, pensive air. The expression was not lost on Tetsuya.

"Yui, I thought we were finished with all that. Honey, it's _over_. You have to forget about that, let go of it." 

"I'm trying. It's- I… I remember them sometimes, that's all."

"Well, just _remembering_ your seishi can be a nightmare of the worst kind. If I'd been thinking of Tomo or Nakago_-_that bastard- I wouldn't sleep for a month!"

 "Don't say that, Tetsuya."

_Hai, Tetsuya, they _were_ my seishi, and they're dead because I let a childish jealousy come between friends. Oh, I know what you'd say. 'Nakago manipulated you, turned you against Miaka, and made you evil and blah, blah.' Well, yes, so he did. He did manipulate me for the greater glory of Seiryu - and  himself. Yes, he is-was a bastard._

_But you forget, there are no rules in war. All's fair in love and war, someone says. Strange how 'love' and 'war' should be said in the same breath, ne? Or maybe not so strange. I thought I loved Tamahome and… well._

_Nakago was fighting for himself, a war against his given fate. I think in a way, that was what we were all trying to do. Fight against what seemed like undefeatable circumstances. Though it seems simple now. All it needed was communication to bring Miaka and me back together. Why couldn't I think of it before, then? I'm supposed to be the smart one. It just goes to prove… you can't beat fate._

"Yui, you ought to be grateful none of the Seiryuu came back like Taka did. I mean, can you imagine Nakago-that-bastard walking around here in Tokyo now? Or that psychotic Suboshi with his yo-yos of doom? Or…" Tetsuya went on listing the various offensive characteristics of every Seiryu seishi with ruthless accuracy.

_Suboshi._

A vision of a tousled, sandy-blonde head and a pair of wild blue eyes obtruded in Yui's mind. However, this time she did not immediately repress that vision as she normally would have done. It hurt her a lot just to think of him, thoughts of his unseen death choking up everything else. It still hurt unbearably, but Yui defiantly accepted the pain, holding his face in memory. 

The one person who had really loved her… as Seiryu no Miko._ He_ had loved her with all the passion and fury of the first flush of love. And she had given him death in return. 

"…or that high-voltage electricity woman? Thank Suzaku they didn't show up. Yui, what- are you crying?" 

Yui wrenched her hand away, now unable to control her temper and tears. How could he _joke _about them? 

"Iie, just leave my seishi alone!"

 Tetsuya gave a start, mildly alarmed by her vehemence. "Okay. Don't get so worked up. What I'm trying to say is- _forget_ about them. That chapter of your life is over, and it's not coming back. You don't want that, do you?"

_A chance to correct past mistakes, a chance to redeem myself? A second chance? Oh yes, please Seiryuu… yes. I'd do anything…_

"No."

"I'm glad to hear it! Now why don't we order…"

Yui nodded, then reached for a glass of water on the table and bent over it, still struggling to resolve her thoughts and emotions. She was in a restaurant, for the love of all heaven, and she had to control herself. Tetsuya was really trying to help her, and was just being very male and authoritative about it. What he said was very true; her seishi had been…different. They hadn't exactly inspired feelings of love and affection- ha, certainly not. So what was the use of wishful thinking? She was careful of making wishes now. Wishes were best left in fairy tales.

_But … I do wish we could have a second chance. It isn't fair… I wish I could see them again._

A tear slid down her cheek and Yui rubbed it furiously away. _I have to learn to control this, darn it_. A year was more than enough to set things in perspective. Look at Miaka, Yui thought with a sad smile. Miaka could handle the loss of her seishi. But… Miaka now had Tamahome/Taka, who was miraculously given to her by her god. 

And as for herself…she had no one. They were all dead. 

She had Tetsuya who hated them, and that did not help.

The waitress returned and gave them menus, murmuring all the right things about the restaurant and the food in general. Yui barely glanced at her, silently going through the choices offered, and picked a vegetable salad that awoke no culinary interest. She was on a diet anyway. There was an awkward pause and then Yui blinked as their server addressed her in a self-assured and strangely familiar tone. 

"Miss, is everything all right?" Yui looked up to see the waitress staring at her with an expression of concern, though her attitude remained deferential. The subdued light glinted off her copper-red hair and though her features were slightly shadowed, Yui could see the slanting, luminescent gray-green eyes. She gasped.

"Can I get you something else?" The unwary young woman continued. 

The tie between a seishi and a miko is a very subtle thing. Though Yui had had very little contact with Soi, knowing that she was the object of the seishi's outward respect and inner jealousy, but it only took one look for her to discern this woman was Soi. The short hair, modern clothes, vaguely altered features and an unexpected air of servility posed no barrier as miko stared at her lost seishi for moments that seemed to transcend an entire lifetime.

Could wishes come true? Do gods really answer one's prayers?

Despite the fact that she had spent the whole time fantasizing about meeting her seishi, when Kaen stood before her Yui could only think it was all a dream. When one hopes and prays for that seemingly impossible wish, knowing in the heart that it could never come true and that it was insane to even think of it… when one sees that come true defying logic and commonsense, the mortal mind cannot instantly comprehend the reality.

_Is it… How can this be? Seiryuu, are you playing tricks on me? _

"So- _Soi_?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kaen smiled farewell to a group of diners, and then added the time-honored phrase inviting them to return soon. A correct bow, another correct smile and the men left to pay the bill at the front desk. Returning to the back section, Kaen slipped into her unobtrusive corner, where she could observe her surroundings without being seen. Two waiters and another waitress were the only personnel active among the few patrons, who were chiefly loud foreigners absorbed in business discussions over liquor. A very light evening, as far as work was concerned. Apart from the unpleasant incident in the afternoon, quite a good day, Kaen thought with complacent satisfaction.

Then she remembered the 'unpleasant incident' and a small frown creased her carefully shaped eyebrows.

She had seen the pretty blonde girl sit quiet through most of the conversation with her companion, her head hung sadly over a glass of water, the very picture of dejection. Not even did handing over the menu produce any change, and the girl picked a most unremarkable dish, which was quite shocking to Kaen. Yuuan was an eatery specializing in vegetarian, ethnic cuisine. It was almost a slight to the restaurant, picking a wretched salad when there were so many exotic choices.

It had just slipped out -- that uncalled for question regarding the girl's well being. Kami, it was VERY bad manners to quiz a customer on their state of mind, much less their eating preferences. Still, what was done was done and Kaen had tried her best to rectify the situation by politely asking if she could bring her anything else. Instead, the situation had taken an unexpected turn; her well-meaning inquiry had been met with a stare of what looked to be utter horror; after which the girl rose hurriedly from the seat, the water glass that had been in her hand shattering on the floor.   

"So- _Soi_?"

"Huh? Nani?" 

"_Yui_! What are you doing?" Her handsome companion had quickly moved to the blonde's side, looking totally flabbergasted.

"Soi! Tetsuya, don't you see? It's her!"

Kaen had blinked hard. Her parents in their parental wisdom had named her Ayame Kaen Nakamura, a dorky name, yes, but still, she had no intention of owning any other. _Soi who?_

"Yui, calm down! That's our _waitress_… not uh- who you think. Sit down, honey. There. You're a bit confused, that's all." With a lot of persuasive coaxing, he finally settled Yui back in her chair and then turned to Kaen with an apologetic, embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry about that. You see, Yui- well, she recently lost some people close to her-"

Kaen smiled gently. "I understand, and please don't worry about it. Anou… can I get your order?"  

"Uh… sure, guess so. Yui?"

"Hai," Yui replied in a subdued voice.

After Kaen brought their meal, the couple ate it in what looked to be a strained, uneasy atmosphere with Yui remaining silent under her companion's confused, frowning countenance. Thankfully, there were very few people in that section, so a major scene had been averted. Kaen shook her head sagely at the recollection. Even if he was cute, that boyfriend had been a baka to bring the poor girl to a public place when Yui was obviously still grieving for a lost friend. 

Kaen sighed. It wasn't a nice feeling to be associated with someone who was dead, but she had to give Yui some credit. While leaving the blonde had apologized for the mix-up, a rather insincere one (so it seemed to Kaen), but an apology nevertheless.

_"You look so much like someone I knew… I'm sorry. I must be mistaken. You- you can't be her. She's dead. They're all dead…"_

She sighed again, feeling pangs of sympathy towards the distraught Yui . _Poor kid. Losing folks at such a young age must be very tough_. Then with a mental shrug, she  fell to perusing the pages of a fashion magazine, trying to pass time till ten pm.

**********

_~*~ I sit at an empty table, troubled and confused, and continue to stare at Soi. Oh, forget Kaen, this is Soi. How else did I sense and come to her? Supernatural beings don't make mistakes. I touch her aura yet again to make sure. Seiryu, this is no use._

_I cannot believe she hasn't yet recovered her memories. One look at the miko is supposed to bring recollections flooding through the mind of a seishi, awakening that inner consciousness, since all their lives are linked to her. Instead what do I see? I see a mistake. Gods don't make mistakes and neither can I, but for the moment that seems to be the case. But perhaps I am being hasty… Seiryuu's voice thunders again._

_"At the right moment their memories will awaken."_

_At the right moment…_

_Oh, Seiryu-seikun, hasn't the right moment arrived yet? What if Nakago should run into Yui and regain his memories first? Heaven forbid that, but I can sense his reincarnated self close, very close. Only Soi can help Nakago to deal with his past and she is… well, at the moment, Kaen is happily buried in the pages of 'Vogue' with no idea of what's going on. _

_I cannot bear to see them walk away as strangers, not after all the heartbreak both of them endured in their previous lives. But even more, I cannot bear to see Nakago deal alone with all the pain reincarnation brings. You see, it can be said that I am in part responsible for his change from a young boy into what he became as 'Nakago'. I wish to at least soften the pangs of memory for him. It is only for his sake that I am here…_

_Well, it's futile to sit and mope. Nakago isn't here yet and I'd better return to the miko and see what's going on there. After all, Seiryu must have a plan and it is not for me to complain about divine preparations. May everything proceed as he wishes._

_I think… and I am near Yui, transported at the speed of thought._

_There are certain privileges when one is a spirit, you know… ~*~_

**********

"Tetsuya, I'm sorry about what happened back there. I-I ruined our date..."

"Forget about that. This is serious, isn't it? This seishi thing?"

After a silent ride in the car, Tetsuya had taken Yui to a park where both of them were sitting side by side, watching the sunset over the park's picturesque pond. The afternoon rain had showered the trees and greenery with raindrops that still lingered, glittering like diamonds in the golden, fading light. It was quite cool, the weather nothing like the intense Tokyo summer. Some kids ran around playing happily while careful parents kept an eye on their exuberant movements. 

"I think about them sometimes, Tetsuya. Nothing more. There is no 'seishi thing,' as you say." 

Yui managed to look coolly nonchalant she told the lie, though it was a desperate attempt to deceive Tetsuya into letting go of that subject. She was embarrassed enough as it was, and all she wanted was to go home, take a shower and try forget everything. Of course, she could never do that, but one always had to try, she thought bitterly. She had been so sure it was really Soi at the restaurant and for a wild moment, had even hoped _he_ and the others might be there too. 

Wishful thinking. 

Tetsuya was incredulous. "You call THAT nothing? Yui, you walked into a restaurant and accused a waitress of being a _Seiryu seishi_." He pronounced 'Seiryu seishi' in the same tone as one would mention something particularly disgusting, like hairy warts or smelly old socks. 

"She looked like Soi, so I thought-"

"How can you even think something horrible like that? Besides, she didn't look like Soi. She had red hair, but otherwise-" Yui interrupted him coldly.

"Have you _seen_ Soi? You seem to be very well-informed."

"Soi was supposed to have long red hair done up in a braid. The Shinjintenchisho gave very accurate details about seishi's appearances, so I know all about it. And leaving the hair, a seiryu seishi would have that certain kind of look about them- devious, sneaky and ready-to-fry-ya-alive-to-crisp kind of look. That waitress was cute. Nothing like Soi," concluded a triumphant Tetsuya. A dark thought made him sit up hastily. "And _if_ Soi were here, what about that bastard, Nakago? He should be here too then, Suzaku forbid!" He shook his head. "It would be a huge mistake."   

"Must you keep saying that? And Nakago's dead, ne? There's no need to curse him now." 

Yui folded her arms and stared at the red-gold water, colored by a sinking sun, another day dying with it. Life was just like that…here now, dead now. What was there to tell if people existed or not? Everything, all life was an illusion. People were just a part of that mirage. Maybe that was what she had seen at the restaurant. An illusion. A cruel illusion. But then again, as Tetsuya had asked, did she really want her seishi to come back?

She had barely known them. A few chance encounters and that was it. They were all mostly just faces in her mind, with no voice, no substance. She didn't even understand Suboshi, learning of the depth of his love for her only at his death. Miboshi, Ashitare, Amiboshi, Tomo, Soi- they were just names. And Nakago… 

Nakago… she remembered him as she had seen him always- cool, confident, with a smirk plastered on his face. There was no doubt that should she see him again, she would definitely slap the bastard- as hard as she could- for using her trust and making a puppet of her and everyone else for his become-a-god scheme. At the time of Seiryu's summoning she hadn't cared about the terrible consequences of a mortal wanting to be a god, and would have wished it for him just the same, because she had trusted him absolutely.

 Everything Nakago had told her was a lie. She had become Seiryu no Miko to punish Miaka for abandoning her. A lie. He had said he loved her. A lie. All the care and concern he had shown her… all a damned lie. He was a cruel and heartless monster, Yui said to herself bitterly, and it served him right to die damned. Heck, she should be _thankful_ he was gone from her life. She only wanted Nakago to come back so she could tell him with her fists what she thought of him and his manipulation and his lies. 

Even so, Nakago was a bastard who was better off dead. Who knew, if he came back he might start another plan to take over the world. 

_But… he-they aren't coming back, ever.   _

Strange that that thought didn't make her feel particularly thankful. Instead, she felt empty… and alone.

"Yui-" Tetsuya had shifted in his seat till he was facing her. "Yui, I'm just trying to look out for you. I know what you went through in the Book, and I know its been very hard on you. It was tough, yes. But kirei, it's all over. You can get on with your life now. Forget Nakago, forget about those freaks, forget Seiryuu ever existed."

"Mmhmm," Yui murmured vaguely, wondering how she could ever forget. She had summoned Seiryuu, felt a god's power run through her veins… and as for the 'freaks,' she had felt each seishi's death deeply, almost as if a part of her inside had died with each of them. 

How could she just forget?   

She wanted to know if they were all right, wherever they were. 

What an irony. She hadn't cared two bits for them when they lived, and now she wanted to know about their well being. What a big, cosmic joke. But that was the truth-she wanted to see them again-all of them. Wishful thinking? Maybe. She really didn't care.

But of course, she couldn't very well tell Tetsuya that.

The sun had set over the water, and despite the darkened sky, a few streaks of red remained on the clear blue water. They were quite alone; upon the coming on of the rain shower, all the children had long since gone home. In the middle distance, solitary swings swayed in the wind, ghost-like in the falling shadows. Yui sighed once, her breath blending with the damp air.

Tetsuya cared for her. He really did. She _should_ feel content with that and not trouble herself with thoughts of a dragon god and dead people. _But do we all feel what we should?_  Well, she could think about that later. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and then pushed back her tumbled hair.

"Yui, are you okay? You're being very quiet…"

Yui turned to look at Tetsuya, who was watching her worriedly, sans his normally ever-present shades. Stretching out a crafty hand, she picked the sunglasses from his shirt pocket and put them on herself. Coupled with a sudden grin, they gave her a rakish, 'bad-girl' appearance, which Tetsuya did not know what to make of, considering their present conversation. He blinked.

"Uh, Yui?"

"I've always wanted to try on your shades. How do I look?"

He pursed his lips and lifted a doubtful eyebrow. "Hmmmm…. They're too big, but we can fix that. Wait, Yui, wha-where are you going? Hey, we were having a serious conversation here!"

"I know, but I'm hungry! Come on, let's go for pizza!" 

"But we just had a meal! You can't be hungry already!"

Yui grinned. "I guess it's true then… best friends _are_ alike!"

She pulled him up from the seat and dragged him protesting all the way over to the car. She was evading the real issue, but what was the use of worrying Tetsuya, who had shown her nothing but patience and kindness? There was nothing to be done about her seishi and no matter what, she would always have her memories, her guilt and her fantasies. If she couldn't share them, she could at least act as if everything was okay for his sake. 

Besides, a little rumble from her stomach suggested that it wasn't _all_ acting… 

~*~ _As I sit on a swing and gaze with reverence at the departing Seiryuu no Miko, I am sorry for her- sadness mixed with admiration for a brave soul. Placing her heartache and despair behind, Yui is still able to smile and face the world… truly she is worthy to be the priestess of the god of war. _

_What happened in the past had nothing to do with her nor her seishi. It was the work of the gods, of fate, of karma. She can never be held responsible for it. I can sense her anguish and hopelessness, but alas, being what I am, I cannot comfort her. All I can say is…_

_Before the morning comes, darkness must pass. Be patient, miko. You shall see them again. _

_I too understand a few things now. In my childish naïveté, I had thought that the mere presence of the miko should be able to restore a seishi's identity. It is not so simple. A lot more has to take place before I can see the stars awaken in their former glory. Well, I have all the time in the world and I will keep faithful watch over the miko and the seishi of Seiryu. _

_That reminds me, a meeting is imminent between Kaen and… I don't know his present name- he who was Nakago.  ~*~_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Coming next- Chapter II - **Heart's Lodging**

***


	3. Heart's Lodging

Whoops…sorry folks, this ain't an update. Just been adding a couple of sentences and deleting some to bring this chapter out better. If you've already read this, there's no rush to read on; the story is pretty much the same. ^^ But of course, if you haven't… well, what are you waiting for? Do continue!! :) :)   

Disclaimer: _Fushigi Yuugi _and characters belong to Watase Yuu and others. Anything that is not FY- related is original, except for 'Yuuan.' It's a real restaurant in Tokyo, which I DON'T own. I'm using it just for the sake of fiction, 'cos I have a preference for authentic locations. ^_~

Spoilers: TV series and _Seiran Den_.

Timeline: A year after the TV series, so kindly forget the OVAs. ^_^

**Note: Italics within ~*~ indicate the narrator's thoughts. Elsewhere, it refers to the direct thoughts of a character, or may be used for emphasis. **

Beta-read by the wonderful KittyLynne who really makes me feel like an accomplished writer! :) A Touch of Blue (A tale of the Seiryuu seishi) Chapter II : Heart's Lodging 

**********

Yui stood in line as she waited for her pizza order to come up, inhaling appreciatively the strong smell of pepperoni that began to fill the room. As her faint stirrings of hunger intensified, she peeped over the shoulders of a boy standing in front of her, trying to determine the extent of her wait. There were at least ten people ahead of her in line, and by the look of things, most of them had demanded several different varieties of pizza. One attendant was scrambling to put together the orders from the cases stacked on the counter. When the stack dwindled, it was instantly replenished by a harried-looking, apron clad man, who was dashing to keep up with the demand. 

Yui sighed, as the woman first in the line finally moved away with a large parcel. _This is probably going to take forever._

In an attempt to stave off her mounting impatience, she took a look around at her surroundings. As a rule, pizza places and ramen stands were quite crowded on Sundays. Add to the fact that it was the start of the summer holidays, and it was no surprise that the small eatery was crammed with all kinds of people, and a passel of children who found it fun to play tag within the cramped space. It was a regular circus, but she really didn't mind. It was actually nice for her to be out, to be with normal people—people who discussed the weather, the economy, the government and the newest fashion.

 It was also nice to take a break from books and most of all, it was nice to be out with Tetsuya again, Yui thought wistfully. These were little things, the sort of things many people took for granted, but it was all a refreshing experience to her. She felt grateful to Tetsuya for insisting they stay out late. Earlier, they had decided at the park to get a pizza and then perhaps take in a movie or go to a club. A sort of second attempt at the date that had gone wrong… at _Yuuan_. 

On thinking of the restaurant, she flushed with remembered embarrassment.

Oh kami, how could I? 

It was bad enough to break a cup in a chic eatery, but to call their poor waitress _Soi…_ no wonder Tetsuya had been so worried about her! Nevertheless, as the surprised expression of the waitress rose again in her mind, Yui made yet another attempt to compare her with the armor-clad woman she had known in a different existence. The two pictures swam irresolutely, blurred, and then came back into focus as one. _Soi._

_Yamate! This is so not good. I'm just imagining things. Another minute and I'll probably be seeing Nakago, clunky armor, sword, smirk, and all—_

The boy ahead of her in line threw her a grin before making his way out. For no particular reason that she knew, Yui followed him with her eyes until he was lost among the people. _Strange._ _He really looked a lot like-no! Not again! _ She violently squashed the half-formed idea. Déjà vu was a concept that had tormented her since that day at the restaurant, and had gone horribly wrong, as far as she was concerned. Best to leave well enough alone.   

Her turn came up at the counter. ****

"Excuse me, I'd ordered pepperoni a while back..."

The overworked young man behind the pizza counter checked his notepad, a jumbled mass of illegible scrawls, and miraculously managed to pick out the order. He expertly shuffled through the stacked cases in front of him. Pepperoni materialized.

"Yup, here you go. Have a nice day! And what is your order, sir?"

"Two pepperoni and a plain."

"Coming right up!" declared the attendant spiritedly.

Yui lifted the pack and made way for the next customer. Edging through the moving crowd, she squeezed a path to the entrance where Tetsuya was supposed to be with the drinks. She approvingly sniffed the appetizing smell of hot, fresh pizza, wafting through the pack. It was high time she had a decent date with Tetsuya, she thought. After all, they'd been together for more than six months, and apart from hurried meetings after school and a few casual dates, nothing more had happened between them. It was time to change that. 

So where is Tetsuya? 

Balancing the wide pack in her hands and craning her neck, she tried to locate her companion. She had just seen him near the glass doors, but now he was definitely not there. She swerved a little to avoid running into a purple-haired girl. People were moving in every direction, some like her, carrying pizza, and others trying to get to the counter to get the pizza. There were unintentional bumps and jostles, and apologies sounded constantly over the crashing music of L'Arc~en~Ciel.

"Gomen nasai…"

"Do itashimashite."

"Gomen ne…"

"It's okay. Please excuse me." 

Negotiating past the barrier of milling humanity, Yui stopped in front of the entrance where she could breathe free. She could see Tetsuya, who was a little ways away and near him… her breath caught at the sight that greeted her, before the air rushed out of her mouth in an explosive exhalation.

_What the- Oooh, that man! I can't believe I'm seeing this!_ "TETSUYA!" 

"Wa- Yui… Uh, you got the pizza pretty soon-"

"_Tetsuya!" _Yui hurried furiously to her boyfriend, with every intention of smacking him, hard, upside his head. Tetsuya had been appreciating, rather obviously, the voluptuous curves of a pretty girl dressed in an outrageous leather dress. Upon seeing Yui skewering him with a deadly glare, he wiped the silly look off his face and tried his best to appear innocent. Yui scowled. Grabbing his arm, she steered him determinedly out of the eatery and into the open-air parking lot, after shooting another murderous glare at the leather clad girl. 

Once they reached the car, and were out of earshot, Yui tossed the pizza into the backseat, and then exploded with the righteous wrath of an aggrieved girlfriend.

"Tetsuya, you-you were ogling that girl!" 

"Iie! It's just… well-she was wearing a very pretty dress, so-"

"_So…_just because she had a pretty dress on_,_ you had to stare at her like _that_?"

"It was just a glance-" Tetsuya was struggling to wriggle out of his predicament.

"A glance! It was more like-"

"_Yui-chan!"_

Yui did not move immediately, but the words she was about to utter remained half-formed in her mouth, as the unexpected sound of her best friend's voice threw her into a state of confusion. Tetsuya, however, was extremely grateful for the interruption. Happily slinging an arm around Yui, he extended a welcome that echoed through the parking lot.

"Oi, Miaka, Taka, over here!"

"Yuuii-chan!"  The familiar voice had taken on an insistent note as it came closer. Miaka was forcing a way through the busy entrance of the eatery and behind her, came Taka, a pizza pack held aloft in his hands. The slender brunette shouted another greeting, and then, having fully broken free from the crowd, ran up to Yui. 

A wave of happiness washed over Yui on seeing the genki girl. She was used to seeing Miaka practically every day, and she suddenly realized, with a pang, that she had missed her friend intensely over the weekend.

"Hey, Miaka. Taka."

"I just saw you leave the restaurant, Yui-chan, so I hurried to catch up with you! It's terribly crowded on Sundays, isn't it? I didn't even see you at the queue!" Miaka spoke breathlessly. Her hair was slightly disheveled and her green t-shirt was moist with sweat, a testament to the crammed conditions and her battle to catch up with Yui. 

"It's a regular battle-field in there," concurred Taka, carelessly depositing the pizza pack on Tetsuya's car and earning a look of displeasure from him. "But this is the best pizza stand around here, so I'd say it's worth every bump and knock." 

Yui smiled and agreed with the two new-comers, but inwardly she had a sinking feeling that did not bode well for the success of her evening with Tetsuya. It was a shock to her, seeing Miaka and Taka appear together, out of the blue; she had been taken rudely unawares. Since her experiences in the Book of the Four Gods, and more specifically, since mistaking a waitress for a former seishi, Yui wasn't taking too kindly to any surprises concerning anything or anyone connected to the Book. 

Especially surprises concerning Tamahome.

"You know, I didn't think I'd find you here! But what are you doing here, anyway?" asked Miaka curiously.

Yui rolled her eyes. "Apparently, given that _here_ is a pizza place, to get some pizza?"

 "I didn't mean that, Yui-chan," Miaka shook her head, loose russet-colored hair brushing her cheeks with the vigorous movement. "You don't come to places like this often! Are you on a date?" 

Feeling the weight of Tetsuya's arm on her shoulder, Yui glanced up at her boyfriend and directed a frown at him before replying. She hadn't forgotten the shapely, leather-clad girl. 

"Well, I was, but I don't know…" Tetsuya had been discussing with Taka the merits of the latest movie, but his attention was jerked back by Yui's statement.

"Aww, Yuuuii! I _told _you- it was the dress!" 

Yui looked skeptical.

"Oh, c'mon! Honest! She wasn't even that pretty! And b'sides, why would I stare at some girl when I have _you_?" She could not suppress a quick laugh, seeing his earnest, desperately-trying-to-convince, face. 

"Fine, Tetsuya, you get the benefit of doubt _this time_, but there better be no next time if you know what's best-" her playful warning trailed off and she did not hear Tetsuya's witty retort.__

A few yards away, she saw the same boy, or rather the back of the boy, who had been before her in the queue and seemed in some way to be known to her. He was of a middle height, rather slender in build, brown-haired and wore a shirt that had a coiled dragon on it, which she strangely hadn't noticed earlier. In the evening light, the silver strands of the dragon design glinted ominously with hidden meaning. He turned, and catching her glance, waved.

_Could it be… him?_

Due to the distance, Yui could not see his features clearly, but she could make out the boyish, mischievous looks. When he smiled at the eatery, his eyes had sparkled with life, she remembered. Yui did not acknowledge the friendly action. 

"Do you know that boy, Yui?"

"No… no. I just saw him at the eatery." The mysterious, nameless boy left the parking lot.

"I'm happy for you, Yui-chan..."

 As she watched the boy walk away, Yui fought down a bewildering, insane desire to run after him, call him, to do anything so that he would return. _He's leaving and won't come back…_ she thought distractedly, and almost cried out a name that was never far from her thoughts. Almost, but then Tetsuya's grip on her tightened. The insane desire vanished, leaving only a faint impression on her memory. Suddenly, she became aware that her best friend was speaking to her. 

"I'm sorry, Miaka, I didn't quite catch that?"

"I'm glad… I'm happy you've started to go out, Yui-chan," Miaka repeated affectionately, a soft smile lighting her face.

Yui managed a faint smile. "I'm glad too." 

Miaka continued to gaze at her. "It's been a while since we came together like this- I don't get to see you as often nowadays…"

"We're in the same class, Miaka. We see each other every day."

"I know, but it still feels like I haven't seen you for ages," Miaka insisted. "We don't really hang out together any more- why, I didn't even know you're with Tetsuya now!"

"And maybe that's because you're too busy hanging out with someone else?" Yui retorted, with an arch look at Taka.

Taka caught the  glance that insinuated something else, and blinked in bewilderment. "You girls talking about me?" 

His question was ignored by both girls. Miaka tried to protest, but when her eyes rested on Taka, a tender flush crept over her cheeks, and she stopped her intended denial. 

Yui looked away. _I guess you're right, Miaka. I have been avoiding you_. 

A cool breeze sprang up and ruffled through her hair. Raising a hand to smooth back the errant tresses, her fingers found the single earring; as she caressed the _seiran_ pearl, Yui felt even more guilty and miserable, despite her resolutions to the contrary. Miaka was her best friend, the friend she had grown up with and shared everything with, from as far back as she could remember. Even though she had hurt Miaka in every way, Miaka had forgiven her and had tried -still tried- to _help_ her. She owed her very life to Miaka. There could be no bigger debt possible.       

But, given all that, she now could not be at ease with Miaka. Priestesses of inimical gods, rivals in love, perhaps she could shrug that away. That had all been due to mistakes and misunderstandings. She could deal with that in time. Plunging herself into school and her books, and quite content to dismiss Seiryuu as a horrid nightmare, Yui hadn't found it all that hard this past year. Her friendship with Miaka had emerged as strong as ever, and she also had Tetsuya to depend on. Everything was normal… life was _ordinary_. 

Then last month, beyond all unworldly miracles, Taka came. And everything changed. 

Her efforts to dismiss the Dragon god recoiled back. How could she forget being the Seiryuu no Miko in the Universe of the Four gods when living proof that it was not a dream walked before her and smiled in her face? 

Staying at school late, often switching classes, offering inane excuses… she had used those tactics of evasion to escape from the torment of reprehensible memories- for which she had thought shunning her friends would help. She was very much wrong, of course. 

Shame rose in Yui. She did not meet the smiling gaze of her friend.

"I'll have to agree with her, Yui. I haven't seen you for a long time too!" Taka came near them and placed an arm around Miaka. "We almost thought you wanted to avoid us!" he said laughing.

"Yeah, that's what happened to me too," mumbled Tetsuya behind her neck, where his hand rested contentedly. His fingers began to wander around and a thumb brushed against her ear, making Yui flinch.  

"Of course not! I've been, well… studying," she gave a broken reply.

_Is it a surprise Taka, that I wish to keep away from you, at least for some time? It hurts the most to see you. I like you as a friend now, and come to think of it, I never really loved Tamahome. He was just something to hold onto in those long, empty days… I think I need more time to get a grip on my emotions. But, Taka, I can't stop wondering… if you are here, could the others—_

 "Since the pizza is getting cold, how about we finish it off here? We can easily get more-" Tetsuya gave Yui a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he made the suggestion. 

Dusk was coming on quickly; the western sky still held a blushing radiance, and further lights from the small parking lot and from the nearby road more than made up for any lack of sunlight. Other groups of young people seemed to have the same idea as Tetsuya, having a noisy snack by their cars. Music was blaring out loud from the eatery and it added to the rather free and creative improvised setting. 

"That's a great idea!" Miaka promptly opened the pizza box Taka had been carrying. 

The mood lightened. Yui let out a small sigh of relief at the change of subject, and taking out the pack she had placed earlier in the car, followed Miaka's lead. Had Miaka pressed her a little more, she would have probably blurted out everything, and that would never do. Miaka had gone through enough already in two worlds and did not need to deal with another's problems. 

It was best to share joys rather than sorrows, she knew now.

"Miaka, I thought we were going to the movie!"

"We are, Taka. Just a tiny piece of this pizza and we're off!"

"That's a _tiny_ piece?" Yui inquired humorously, seeing the sizeable chunk Miaka clutched with a paper napkin.

The brunette playfully stuck out her tongue. "Yes it is- for me!"

***

By the time the foursome finished two pizzas and four cans of drink between them, it was past six pm. 

"I hope we get the tickets all right… Tetsuya, why don't you guys come too? It's said to be a really good picture."

Tetsuya looked at Yui. "Well, how about it, Yui? We _were_ thinking of catching a movie, so why not this one?"

Miaka nodded eagerly. "It'll be fun, Yui-chan!"

Three hopeful faces were turned on Yui, who now felt genial, as she always did after a good snack. It had been a good while since she had gone out for a movie. The whole prospect of buying popcorn and soda, and relaxing in the semi-darkness absorbed in someone else's life, was very appealing.

"Why not, indeed? What movie is it?"

"Ooooh, Yui, you'll just love it! The movie is _Shards of a Rainbow_, and the actor is _sooo_ unbelievably cool! You've gotta see him to believe it, right Taka?"

Taka did not seem to share Miaka's enthusiasm. "Yeah, well… he's okay," came the grudging reply.

"Okay?! He's marvelous!"

A giggle escaped Yui. "Well, I can't wait to see the movie and this actor, Miaka. Count me in!"    

"Let's get a move on, then," said Tetsuya. "I'll dispose of these first," he muttered as he bundled the pizza wrappings into one mass and set off to the dumpster visible at a distant corner of the lot. 

Yui saw him go, then gazed up at the intensely beautiful evening sky. By some trick of nature, the sky seemed to be very low; Yui thought vaguely if she stood on tiptoe, she could touch the luminous crescent moon. A car sped off from the lot in a squeal of tires. A group of people a few feet away laughed loudly, the sound seeming strange and discordant in the comparatively vacant area. A gust of cold air that promised more rain blew and Yui shivered once. 

"It's going to rain…" she whispered to no one in particular. 

"Don't worry, Yui-chan. We won't get wet!" Miaka answered, brandishing an umbrella that had appeared from out of nowhere, much to Taka's amusement.  

Tetsuya had returned. "It's getting late…I hope tickets won't be a problem. Shall we?" 

Amidst bursts of random laughter and the slam of car-doors, the two couples left for the theater.

****

~*~ _I have always been curious about the Suzaku no Miko, since I saw very little of her when she was in the other world. My sticking with Yui and Tetsuya has now given me the opportunity of observing her. Yuuki Miaka is a true priestess of Suzaku; she radiates warmth and love, she is a person with no serious complications—satisfied and quite content, love and happiness seem to follow her wherever she goes. It is well Yui has such a caring and faithful friend, for in the coming days she may need a strong ally._

_Two hours must have passed because I see people streaming out of the movie theater. It is raining now. Umbrellas snap open and soon the road is full of what appears to be umbrellas propelled forward by human legs. Tetsuya dashes off to bring the car to the door while the others wait for him, passing time by looking at the colorful posters tacked on the walls. Taka and Yui finish off the remaining of the popcorn that Miaka refuses, saying she is not hungry. A thoughtful half-frown rests on the usually cheerful face—something has troubled her. Could it be the painfully beautiful golden eyes of the leading man in the movie?  _

_But…I digress. I am a devotee of Seiryuu; the matters of the Phoenix god must be resolved by those loyal to him.~*~  _

***

Yui smiled as she read the poster announcing an upcoming festival in a week or so. It would be something to look forward to after school closed for the summer, she mused. Turning to share her plans with Miaka, she found the other girl gazing intensely up at a promo of the movie they had just watched. Not surprisingly. It featured a close-up shot of the male star, who was definitely one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. She nudged Miaka.

"I don't think Taka will appreciate you checking out that guy, Miaka."

"No… guess not." 

Miaka gave a forced laugh and cleared her throat nervously. She had not been quite her normal cheery self during the movie, often seeming to be lost in thought, which was very much unlike her. When she spoke, the lively quality in her voice was restrained, she was grave, serious and hesitated as one who had something unpleasant to say—or ask. 

"You know, Yui-chan…"

"Know what?" Yui popped the last of the popcorn into her mouth and tossed the cover into a waste-bin. Taka was not with them, she noticed just then. "Where's Taka?"

"He wanted to see the list of films playing next week. Yui…"

"What is it, Miaka?"

"It's been more than a year, anyway, but…" Miaka suddenly looked up into Yui's face and her green eyes were gentle but questioning. "Do you miss them, Yui?"

"What-who do you mean?" 

"I miss my seishi, Yui-chan. Sometimes, I think I'll give anything to see them again, to see them safe and happy…" A small sigh escaped her and the priestess of Suzaku smiled, taking comfort in thought. "Maybe I just have to believe that. Well, anyway," she uneasily rushed to divert the serious issue, "Yui, we agreed to meet at the library tomorrow, remember?"    

Yui was silent. _I wonder what made her say that._

Miaka had echoed her very own wishful thoughts, but that did not comfort her. It was strange, how the subject of seishi kept recurring. She had almost seen two seishi that day, had discussed them with Tetsuya and now Miaka— _maybe this is some revive-the-warrior day, like Halloween_, she reflected irreverently. 

"Yui-chan?" 

"Miaka, we should be leaving." Taka stepped up to them and retrieved the umbrella from Miaka.  

"Guys, can't we give you a lift?" asked Tetsuya, coming in from the rain after parking the car at the front. To all appearances Yui seemed perfectly happy and content as she linked a hand through Tetsuya's and leaned against him. 

"No, we'll pass," Taka said, showing off his protection against the caprices of weather. "See you tomorrow." 

"Yup, see ya!" 

"Yui-chan, the library?" Miaka reminded.

Yui recalled vaguely some such decision made two days back. They were supposed to be reading books to improve their knowledge of the English language for the next academic year. _The library. The place where it all started,_ a small voice whispered in her head. "Right. We'll go there after classes tomorrow. Good-night, Miaka." 

She and Tetsuya watched as Miaka and Taka, armed with a single umbrella, stepped out into the rain and vanished into the twilight.

***

"Mmmm…we should be heading out too, Yui." Tetsuya slowly removed his arm and moving to the car, swung open the door. "C'mon, let's get you home." Rain drops splattered down his hair, silver streams running down his heavy coat. Yui quickly ducked into the car.

"Home? But Tetsuya, I thought we might go somewhere else …" 

He slid into the seat next to her, started the engine and drove smoothly out of the parking lot, joining the general traffic. Lights, noise, life flowed around them in never-ending streams. Full five minutes went by, then Tetsuya spoke.

"Do you want to?"

"Well, it _is_ past eight, but that isn't late-"

"I'm not talking about the time. Do you really want to hang out late?"

"I wouldn't mind-" A wide yawn broke through her control and made itself very obvious. "That was just-" 

"I know. You're tired, Yui. We'll go out some other day, okay?"

"I'm not tired," she responded, but did not argue. 

Tetsuya shot a look at her before turning back to the road. A spark of vibrant blue gleamed in the shadows, half-hidden in her hair, always there. 

Another five minutes went by in a meditative silence interspersed with sundry comments on unimportant matters. The rain came down heavily, bright streaks of lightning often cutting across the skies. Tetsuya made the turn leading to the Hongou residence, an affluent set of apartments, and stopped close to the entrance. 

They ran inside, splashing through the puddles of water and past the disgruntled guard who was muttering how mean and inconsiderate it was of the weather to turn grossly wet in the middle of, what had been, a fine summer day. At the bottom of the staircase, Tetsuya pulled Yui close to him. The low-voltage electric light cast a reluctant, feeble glow over them, throwing the rest of the place into shadowed darkness that was called 'tasteful lighting.' They were alone.

"So," said Tetsuya, seemingly very comfortable in his present position as he held Yui tight in his arms. 

"_Soo_ what?" 

"_Sooo_… when do we go out again?" he elaborated, tilting his head in her direction. Yui pondered over the question.

"Umhmm. I don't really know. You seemed pretty impressed by that girl in leather and..."

"Huh? What girl… YUI!! I told you it was the _outfit, _NOT the _person_!" Tetsuya protested, with every appearance of wounded outrage.

"Ha ha… I'm just kidding," Yui laughed at his wry expression. "Are you coming to the library tomorrow? I'll be there after my extra classes."

"When do your extra classes get over, anyway? Summer hols have begun everywhere and here you keep disappearing for school," he grumbled. 

"They'll be over next week, then we'll have all summer to ourselves," she assured him. Tetsuya did have cause to complain about her 'disappearances.' What with an additional couple of weeks of school and her own withdrawal, their budding relationship had had precious little chance to really develop.   

Tetsuya sighed. "It can't happen soon enough for me. Guess I'll just have to cool it until then," he muttered. He let go of her and rested against the railing as a thoughtful expression settled upon his features. "The library, huh? Yeah, guess I'll be there. Ya never know what might happen…"

"Tetsuya, surely you don't think Miaka is going to get into- er, some kind of danger?"

"Not Miaka. It's _you _I'm worried about… I just want to make sure you're okay." 

"You make me sound like I'm breakable or something," Yui said, with a trace of edginess. She was touched by his concern, but there was a part of her that saw him as being deliberately patronizing.__

"No, I don't think you're breakable. I just don't want you _seeing_ Soi or Nakago or any of those freaks again-" 

"Do you mind not cursing them for once?" _Not this conversation again! _

But Tetsuya did not seem to heed her words. His eyes were fixed on her earring, and comprehension slowly dawned within her as he leaned close and reached out a hand to touch the lone pearl. Yui shuddered away from his touch. _Nakago…_"Don't…don't do that." 

Tetsuya quickly removed his hand, an expression of hurt flashing and fading like the irresolute light in the stuffy space. "Yui, you might reconsider wearing that stone. Maybe that's been influencing you, making you see people suddenly—maybe it's manipulating you, like uh… before."

"I don't think so, and I've already told you my reasons for wearing it, Tetsuya."

"You say you want to forget about him- but then why do you hold on to that _thing_? All it does is keep you bound to Seiryuu and that bast—uh, I mean, it gives you no chance of forgetting that girl-eating reptile."

Yui kept her face carefully blank, while privately admitting that Tetsuya was probably right. Yui had wanted to explain that the pearl was like a token, a talisman to remind her not to ever commit the mistakes committed before. But she had forgotten. A token is a thing of the past, something that binds one to another time, another person—even another self. It bound her to the Seiryuu no miko.  

Yui pulled her coat closer around her body. She could pick out her apartment even from down below. The lights were on, which meant her Mother had returned. It was time to go home.

There was a soft pressure on her forehead that felt like a kiss. "Kirei, I can't stand you being sad and if you keep thinking about those seishi… it's going to be difficult." From argumentative to tender, Tetsuya gently cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to face him. "I love you, Yui. That's why I worry so much."

"I-I…I know. Really, I… it's only these past few days that I've been thinking about them. I think it's because Tamahome could come here, and I thought my seishi might also turn up-"

"Ah, Yui… Tamahome is a different case, you know. There was every reason to bring him to Miaka-but there can be no reason to justify Nakago or any of the others coming back. But if by some sadistic twist of fate they do…" his hands slipped lower to form a tight hug, "I'll make sure they never get near enough to hurt you. Is that all right?"

Yui hugged him back as conflicting emotions raged within her. A lump caught in her throat. _Tetsuya cares so much and I… I always push him away._ Moving a little to look into his eyes, she found what she had always seen in them—concern, affection, tenderness. 

He loved her. He really loved her and wanted to protect her. He loved her for her own sake and not because he was influenced by some drug or because he wanted to become a god. Tetsuya raised an eyebrow in a silent question, his face inches away.

She kissed him.

"You kids leaving? Looks like a nasty storm's comin' up… I wouldn't wanna get caught in it!" 

The guard had come up behind them, breaking the mood and the kiss, much to Tetsuya's deep disgust. 

Once they had fixed a definite date for the next day, Yui again kissed him good-bye and went with him as far as the car, parked at the entrance. The guard was right; from an ordinary summer shower the rain had turned into a squall, complete with thunder and lightning. Tetsuya made a remark about the requirement of more warm, wholesome, good-night kisses. 

"I'll call you back," she said firmly, not swayed by such necessities. G'night, Tetsuya."

"Oyasumi-nasai. And just think about what I said, okay? Especially about that earring."

"We'll see. Drive carefully."

The car sped off leaving her alone. Yui lingered there for a while, feeling the chilly droplets of rain brush her face and erase the warmth of Tetsuya's kiss. Tetsuya was truly a patient, understanding, man and he deserved much more from their relationship, Yui said to herself determinedly. Somehow, she would have to make it up to him.  

It was strange, she reflected as she reluctantly headed back to her apartment after what seemed to be a long day. It was strange how Seiryuu had been stamped onto her thoughts. First the waitress at _Yuuan_, then the boy at the pizza place and… Miaka's unusual words about her seishi. Like a cycle of events, they had all kept her mind constantly on Seiryuu. As if she was being consciously reminded of the dragon's presence.

_"…bound to Seiryuu…"_

If that was true, she was still under the control of her former slayer.

Seiryuu had eaten her alive. The Dragon had ruined her life in the Book, scarred her emotionally and had finally ended up by taking her little bit of existence. _But wasn't that because I was weak? I could have-should have-seen what was going on, instead of closing my eyes and trusting Nakago… who was so far gone, he couldn't see anything. Still… it's not like we had a whole lot of choices then._

_Oh great, so now you're supporting them,_ the little mental voice mocked her.  

Life is full of contradictions, she thought wearily, involuntarily reaching for her ear. Tetsuya was right. As long as she wore the earring, she would never truly be free of her experiences. A single tug brought it loose and the pearl lay glittering in her palm, faded images and voices, scattered pieces of dead and lost life concentrated in its spherical self. 

_It's so blue... just like his eyes._ Yui clutched it tight.

_"-no reason to justify Nakago and the others…"_

Maybe that was true. Maybe there was no reason to bring them back. Maybe the people she had seen were merely specters breathed alive by her imagination. _Maybe_. But she had to be sure. There was always one little chance, one chance against infinity, it could be them_._ She purposely refused to think what would happen if those people were really her seishi.   

Yui made up her mind to visit _Yuuan_ the next day to see the waitress again, and hopefully, clear her mind of any more fanciful ideas. 

But she had no way of learning more about the mysterious boy at the pizza place. He would remain a stranger to her. She could still bring up his boyish face with the sparkling eyes and flash of a white smile. A school-tie splattered with blood floated before her eyes.

I wonder if it's really him…

Suboshi.

The indigo pearl gleamed in her hand, her distorted image visible on its curved surface as she slipped it into her pocket.

And much later that night, her dreams were filled with memories of a blue dragon against a storm-choked sky.  

*******

_~*~  You must forgive me for crowding several thoughts, emotions, incidents and impressions in a single chapter. But this day is special—many events are to be contained in a day's space of twenty-four hours. Seiryuu has risen and it won't be long before the miko follows his divine plan, as fate and destiny slowly take shape in her hands. _

_Well, well. _

_I have concentrated so much on the miko that I almost forget he who is dear to me._

_Retracing my way to 'Yuuan,' I waft through the streets of Tokyo. The multitude of lights glaring everywhere bewilders me as does the constant rush of people who hurry to their destinations. The Kutou capital is nothing like this... neither half as bright nor as busy and prosperous. Are all the cities of your world as wondrous as Tokyo? I am not surprised Nakago wished to rule over this realm._

_I sense his presence more strongly than ever—his aura is so known to me that it takes me back to my mortal days, days before Kutou was entirely defiled by war and hate, to its lush fields, the sky that frequently alternates from a soft blue to steel-gray, crystal clear lakes, flowers, friendship, to the carefree happiness of a child. _

_But all that is so long ago and I am sure you would not wish to be burdened by the story of one who has little significance in the Universe of the Four gods. _

_At 'Yuuan,' Kaen relaxes with a fashion magazine, taking in the latest of the ever-changing trends of Tokyo. The restaurant that had closed in the late afternoon is open now and dinner is being served to the patrons, mainly middle-aged men and women in stark formal attire. Kaen has no table to wait yet and she takes this opportunity to update her fashion sense, though her thoughts occasionally stray to the downpour outside or, fondly, to her boyfriend. She turns a few pages, looks around, taps an elegantly-shod foot, and sighs heavily for no apparent reason._

Her entire manner is of one who is waiting… ~*~

***

Kaen settled more comfortably into the cozily cushioned chair, placed at the back of the dining area for employees' use. After working for the entire afternoon, she had taken a break when the dinner-shift staff began to trickle in. Normally she would have had the evenings off, but due to that small 'exchange of favors' (_a fancy word for black-mail_, grumbled Kaen), she had to serve for the night as well.At least she did not have to bus tables, as the waitresses in lesser eateries did, she consoled herself. That was one of the advantages working for an elite restaurant; there was a separate staff responsible for every single thing. 

Another couple of pages flipped by.

_Oh, so leather's come back,_ she noted. _Waai, wai… Just look at the price!!! I could slog for YEARS to buy this stuff!! _

With a curious mixture of distaste and desire, she glanced down the glossy pages of the magazine. Most of the clothing styles depicted were too dear for her purse, but she was very sure that those clothes would suit her well- in fact, better than some of the models wearing them. She closed the magazine resignedly.  

_I suppose every girl thinks that._

Putting the book away, she stood up and went to check on the tables from behind the shaded glass. The customers, for the most part, were foreign nationals, who had come after attending some conference on the global economy at a nearby venue. More were arriving by the minute, and Kaen could see her break was over. 

She was making a few adjustments to her attire in preparation to start work again, when a co-worker barged inside.

"Ayame-san, you're on! Tables #9 to 15 are getting filled… sheesh, we _are_ full tonight!" the girl said hurriedly, but with an immensely satisfied smile. Brisk business made everyone happy, for it provided job security, and she knew very well the scarcity of good employment.__

"Yes, I'm on it-" Kaen was interrupted rudely by the ringing of her phone. She snatched it up and flipped it open.

"Yes?"

"Kaen! Where are you?" inquired a not-pleased male voice over the line. It was her boyfriend—the object of her many fond thoughts, calling at the worst time possible. At any other time she would have curled up in some corner with the phone tucked in her ear, talking the hour away to romantic oblivion, but now she sought to evade him.

"Eisen, hi! Um.. I'll be working this evening. You see, this thing just came up and-" The other waitress made several sweeping motions of haste, indicating that she should cut the conversation. Kaen smiled apologetically at them and shrugged. She could not afford to hang up on Eisen just like that, knowing from prior experience how much that would offend him. She shrugged again.

Taking the unspoken hint, the girl left to tackle Kaen's tables too, but not before mouthing a forewarning "_you owe me!"_

"No, Kaen, I _do not_ see. It's _SUNDAY,_ and instead of enjoying the evening, I'm stuck at home, alone! What do you think should be done about that?"

She could almost see Eisen's annoyed face as he accused her.

"But Eisen, it's a downpour outside," she pointed out. "We couldn't go out anyway. Look, darling, I'll call you back-"

"So you stay away because of a summer shower?  Really Kaen, I can't believe this-"

"It's just for today, Eisen. I'm sorry, okay? I honestly couldn't dodge this one. I'll be with you tomorrow."

"I'm leaving tomorrow, remember? I was looking forward to spending some time with you and this is what happens.."

Kaen bit her lip in dismay. Eisen was with a marketing firm and had to travel frequently across the country for company purposes. He had offered to take her with him on this latest three-day trip, but she refused, fearing that it would imply too much of personal intimacy and lead to thoughtless gossip. After all, she was still living with her parents and gossip had a nasty way of rebounding to haunt oneself. So, instead of going on the trip, she had promised Eisen a nice, long evening the previous day to themselves….    

Another waitress put her head inside and made more motions of haste.

"Eisen, honey, I'll come as soon as I get over tonight," Kaen said pleadingly, trying to make amends.

"This happens every time, K-chan. You're always either at _Yuuan_ or some other place… it's like you're never here—for all that you're just a _waitress_." He paused. "I do want you with me, Kaen." 

"I want that too. Eisen, but I've really got to go! I'll call you later-" _Oh dear, oh help, my section is getting full!! Buddha, angels, help!_

"Maybe we should get married." he blurted. There was a sharp intake of breath, as if he was surprised at his own words.

Kaen was sure she had not heard him right. "What did you say?"

"I said…oh, never mind! We'll talk about it when you get here," he growled, then abruptly ended the call.

"Ayame Kaen Nakamura, we are running severely short here, and you take your _pre-ci-ous_ time for a _call,_" came a thoroughly exasperated, vindictive hiss. "Get to work, or I'll see that you're sacked!"

"Iie, iie, gomen nasai, I'm on it!"

She did not dare think more about Eisen's words. Turning the phone off and dumping it into her purse, Kaen fled out into the dining area, her mind switching to professional mode.

***

_~*~ Kaen is now very busy, as she devotes her entire attention to a family with a couple of kids with fastidious tastes, and hurries, without appearing to do so, to and fro the food-counter, intent on her task at hand. She does not know yet, and indeed it is only when Seiryuu chooses that she will know, that… _

_Nakago is here._

_He steps into the dining area and strides to one of the tables, where it seems he was awaited, judging by the welcome given to him. A head taller than most men and clad in the formal attire of this world, he looks as distinguished and commanding as he did in Kutou. The muted lights pick out the bright gold of his hair, which is longish, but still respectable. I move closer, almost brushing by, to see his face, to find the likeness of the boy, man, I had known._

_Sitting beside him, I listen to the flow of talk though I cannot comprehend the meaning. He is excessively civil, soft-spoken, and charming, markedly so to the women at the table. He argues, smiles, nods, concedes, and then… says something, very politely, which leaves the other person speechless. He smiles often. It appears to be pleasing; not the sly smirk I remember, and yet… and yet his eyes are his own— cold, calculating and detached, the sharp, unwavering stare that could intimidate the bravest of men is present._

_I should not pronounce an opinion when I know so little of this man, as only the future will reveal his true inner nature, but… I guess some things don't change easily, do they? ~*~ _

***

Kaen had so completely lost track of the hours that when she finally glanced at her watch, she had to stifle an exclamation on the wily unpredictability of time. It was going on eleven. Her section was empty, and the other tables were also speedily becoming vacant, except for the large group of businessmen in the VIP section, who had just finished the main course and were starting on dessert and wine. Business dinners were usually long-drawn, lengthy affairs, with more talk than food consumption. There were four waitresses on smiling attendance, and Kaen saw that there was no further work for her that night. Finally, she could go back to Eisen's surprising, and very much ill-timed, words.

_It's way past quitting time and I'd better get going… did Eisen really propose or did he shoot his mouth off? He often does that and what's worse, he'd stick stubbornly to it— Matte yo! _

Making her way to the rear, past the private VIP lounge, she brushed against a tall, blonde, man emerging from there. Kaen immediately bowed and apologized profusely, mentally cursing her clumsy carelessness. The man barely stopped in his stride, much less heard her apology. He was talking on one of those tiny phones, muttering intently to whoever he was talking to, and quite unmindful of his surroundings. 

_Well, that was rude, _Kaen glowered at his retreating form, her pride roused… then chose not to waste any more thought on him, apart from a tiny speculation whether his hair was naturally such a rich shade of gold. In any case, there was no reason to be annoyed. _She _was the one who had bumped into _him_, not to mention the age-old cliché, '_the customer is always in the right!' _definitely applied here_._

She went to get her coat and take her leave.

Another five minutes found Kaen outside _Yuuan_, looking distinctly unhappy.

She had, unfortunately, forgotten that the car had been promised to Reizo for the evening, and that her affectionate brother was not the person to forget promises that concerned his car. Not unexpectedly, the vehicle was gone. She scanned the road for public transport. Traffic was at minimum and, following a rule of nature similar to Murphy's infamous law, there wasn't any sign of a taxi. 

It was no use calling up Reizo or Eisen for a ride. Reizo would sooner drive her to Hokkaido than to Eisen's apartment, and moreover it was not proper, asking her own brother to drop her off at her boyfriend's. Kaen had a very strict sense of propriety. She knew that Eisen would start packing at the last possible minute, and was probably now hunting up his briefcases for the next day's flight. He always relied on her to pack for him, all the three years they had been together, she reflected with a sudden surge of affection. 

His apartment was just a few blocks away, a walk of some fifteen minutes. Kaen hitched the anorak hood up her head and bravely headed into the furious rain in an attempt to make the best of the circumstances. After all, she philosophized, a little rain never hurt anyone. She had hardly gone a couple of streets when, as if to spite her valiant efforts, the downpour seemed to become heavier and lightning began to flash alarmingly near, causing the very few other pedestrians to hurry to places of shelter.

"Hey, kid, you better get off the road, or risk gettin' fried alive!" an ancient man hollered into her ear, and scurried away under a weather-beaten umbrella. Kaen reluctantly agreed with the old fellow; there was every possibility of her turning into a human french-fry any minute soon. It was not an appealing thought. She turned, picking her way delicately on the slick-wet sidewalk back to _Yuuan_. Another burst of lightning illuminated the angry heavens directly overhead. 

_Funny, I'm positive there was no storm warning on the news… heck, it was supposed to be "sunny, mild weather" today! This summer storm must have come up quick… I'd better call Eisen after all. I'm getting soaked like a curried chicken._

She took one step forward… and then everything seemed to be in pain-staking slow motion.

There was a blinding flash of white, extreme white,light. A shower of sparks erupted from the power lines, and after a mad flicker, the lights in that entire street went out. 

Kaen screamed.

Someone shouted out a belated warning. "LOOK OUT!! Yo, woman, get outta there!" 

A car approached… an unearthly shriek echoed in her ears- was it her own voice? A hazy blur of something yellow grew larger… there was a reverberating explosion of thunder and her world dissolved in various colored spots of shifting size. 

"Somebody get help… call an ambulance or something!"

"She dead? That looked like a direct hit, man! Must be fried to a crisp…"

"Crazy kid, I _told_ her to get off the road!!"

"_Iii..tai_. No, I'm not dead yet," Kaen managed to groan. 

"You had a kami looking out for you, you silly child… couldn't you see the lightning?"

To the skeptical amazement of the helpful onlookers (who were safely away from the wet sidewalk), Kaen did not expire from the lightning strike as first suspected. She was, instead, sprawled on her back on the damp pavement, her coat askew, hair plastered down her head, and on the whole, looked like a human lump. With some difficulty she sat up, praying that nothing was broken or burned and as an after thought, meekly hoped she was not brain-damaged.

"Stupid piece of elemental force, attacking me like that…" she muttered in a fit of malicious humor, directed solely at the forces of nature. 

"Are you all right, Miss?" asked a deep male voice.

Kaen looked up and saw the source of the yellow color she had glimpsed earlier; it was the same man she had bumped into at _Yuuan_, the man with the rich golden hair. He was crouching down on one knee beside her, blue eyes running over critically, a disapproving look on his chiseled features. Raindrops washed down his face.

_Wai…now how did he get here?_

"Do you need to go to a hospital?"

She blinked stupidly a couple of times while contemplating the mystery of his presence. His eyes were not _just_ blue, she suddenly discovered. It was not an ordinary insipid blue, but the deep, dangerous indigo of the mountain lakes… _seiran._ Was it even possible to have eyes that intense a color? Kaen felt her flesh creep unnervingly. 

He held up a hand. "How many fingers do you see?" he said slowly, solemnly, in tolerable Japanese. 

The question brought Kaen to her senses and she felt the life return to her body in a heated rush. 

"Three," she said firmly. Then, sweeping up the shreds of her dignity, she scrambled to her feet and thanked him for his trouble, attempting to put to rest any doubts he might have regarding her visual and mental capacity.

"You two get outta the rain, unless _you_ wanna get shocked too, blondie!" shouted the old man, shaking his weather-beaten, disreputable, umbrella at them. He was standing safe and dry under a shop front, but upon receiving a withering glance from the 'blondie', he shrunk back into the shadows. By some whimsical turn of nature, the storm had lessened in intensity, having exhausted its prowess on that one powerful strike. Rain fell flat in thin silvery sheets and the clouded skies were steadily clearing to reveal a pale crescent moon. 

"I'll give you a lift." The tall stranger spoke in tones that invited no argument, gesturing at a car parked close by. 

"Thank you, but I think I can walk…" 

He did not let her finish, but went to his car and opened the passenger door.

"That's not a good idea," he stated. "We wouldn't want another strike, would we?" 

"Lightning doesn't strike twice," she murmured, while debating internally if she could accept a lift from a complete stranger. Though he _seemed_ honest and sincere, and far removed from the average pervert, one never knew what kind of people were about these days. After all, how many perverts really looked the way they were supposed to look? "You're very kind, but I'll walk. It's not very far, anyway."

"If you think I have plans to molest you in this damned weather, in front of these witnesses…" he shook his head in disbelief. "Just get in, before you catch pneumonia." The last sentence was spoken as an implicit command, accompanied with a stern look that quelled her indignant stuttering about moral values. She found herself obeying, and soon they were both sitting in the warm car, the water dripping off their clothes and onto the seat, the windshield wipers making a rhythmic, soothing noise.

"Are you sure you don't need medical treatment? You were very close to being hit."  

"No, I'm okay. My clothes are a bit singed, that's all." 

He nodded and turned the key in the ignition. Kaen gave the directions to Eisen's apartment in mechanical tones. People with near-death, traumatic experiences were supposed to feel a vital joy in getting to live again. She, on the other hand, felt drained and uncomfortable, and painfully aware of the man's presence near her. She realized that she was drenched to the bone, her makeup run in splotches, hair in straggling clumps and… she did not complete the unflattering mental picture. Wrapping her hands around her shivering body, she discovered a couple of very slight scorch marks mixed with the now-forming bruises on her legs. _Oooh…oh oh, I hope that doesn't scar!_

"You are a very lucky woman," she was told gravely.

"Hai." 

Kaen relaxed back into the seat. With only her directions, her _savior_(if so munificent a term could be applied) was managing to find his way through the complicated, deserted side-streets, thereby betraying an intimate knowledge of the city. She would have liked to ask him about that and introduce herself, but could not summon the will to do so. A lazy lassitude had come over her, brought on by the smooth, purring movements of the car and the gentle swish of the wiper blades pushing the rain off the windshield. 

A cup of hot tea would be perfect, she thought idly, as she sneaked a side-long glance at the severe profile beside her. She regretted not having taken a good look at him again to confirm her brief impression of the clean, sharply-cut features. The portion that was facing her was in silhouette, the outline of his profile etched intermittently with light from an occasional passing car or a streetlight. His eyes never strayed from the road.

_He looks so serious… as if we're going off to war or to the Underworld._

"Please excuse my bad manners, I haven't introduced myself…" she said, then proceeded to do so, bowing as possible in the cramped confines. The single name "Andrew" was granted to her in return— a name which did not fit its owner, according to Kaen. He ought to be called something more commanding, more imperious, to suit the forbidding turn of his countenance. She waited for more information, like a surname, to complete the introduction. Instead, there was an indifferent silence.

Going up a street, the car stopped in front of the building she had indicated. A lone figure was walking back and forth the driveway, hands clenched at the sides. It was Eisen.

"Someone you know?" Andrew asked.

She never got the chance to answer. 

"Kaen! You're back!" Eisen had run up to the car and was already helping her out. He then enveloped her in a massive embrace, wet clothes and all. "Where have you been? Your brother must have called a dozen times and so did your dad… I couldn't reach you by phone, you weren't at _Yuuan_-"

'Andrew' had also stepped out and was leaning on the car frame, watching them with cool-eyed amusement. Kaen felt embarrassed. Eisen sometimes treated more her as a child than a girlfriend.

"I was on my way here, Eisen. There's no reason to get upset. I was a little… um, delayed, that's all."

"It's half-past eleven, K-chan! You never stay out late and with this storm and all…"  Seeing her disheveled state he made another exclamation. "And what did happen to you? You're bruised all over."

"I fell. Can't we go inside? This is Andrew, and he was very kind to give me a lift. Andrew, meet-"

"The fond husband," Andrew guessed smoothly, and then murmured his pleasure at the meeting. 

"Not yet, but I intend to be, very soon." Eisen grinned and then spoke eloquently of his gratitude for helping Kaen with a lift, enfolding her with a possessive arm. They were congratulated for future marital bliss. Kaen could only smile weakly and add a few appropriate phrases that expressed the happiness of an expectant bride. 

Inward, her wet, dazed, mind was in turmoil.

Does this mean we're going to be engaged? We haven't even talked it over yet…

Kaen did not know what to think, as she stood there dumbly between the two men who were now engaged in an attempt at a rather desultory small talk. It was true she was in a steady relationship for more than three years, and it was time she planned the next step. Still, that did not give Eisen the right to mention a proposal casually in a phone conversation, and what was more, practically introduce themselves as an engaged couple to a stranger, she thought in considerable annoyance. While a part of her was pleased and flattered by the proposal, it was as if the whole thing was taken for granted—it was as if _she_ was taken for granted. 

_But of course, I know he loves me very much, and that does make it all right, doesn't it? _

Some of Kaen's confusion must have reflected in her face, for the other man paused in the midst of his congratulations to fix her with an assessing look that made her distinctly uneasy. The uneasiness passed after a little more polite conversation, and Kaen found herself feeling slightly disappointed when Andrew refused an invitation for tea, and then vanished into the eerie stillness of the night without a backward glance.

***

Eisen heaved a sigh, then allowed his rather narrow features to slip into a condescending half-smile. With a slight tug, he began steering her toward his apartment. "What lack of manners! He did not introduce himself and didn't even give a reason for hurrying off… quite rude, that. But we have to make excuses for foreigners, ne? They're all _odd_," he said, with an amused shake of his head.

"I thought he was okay," Kaen replied uncertainly. Hearing Eisen calling foreigners 'odd' added to the misgiving in her heart already confused with the sudden, unforeseen, progress in their relationship. _Is that how he feels about people of a different descent? Then… what about me? Is that what he feels about me? I—_

Her thoughts on the matter were firmly shoved inside by the insistent voice of her companion. "Come on, Kaen- we'd better take care of that nasty bruise. How is it you fell? You're usually very careful…" They had entered the small, but well-furnished apartment. Eisen left briefly to fetch towels to dry herself, still talking. "… and how did you really meet this _Andoru_ guy? He creeps me out somehow, made me feel damn nervous… like I had reason to be scared of him."

"You didn't show it," Kaen said. She then told him the circumstances of the meeting in an abbreviated manner and silently received the many scoldings for wandering out in a thunderstorm, all the while peeling off her soggy garments. Draping the towel around her torso, she headed off to the bathroom for a bath, seeking to wash away the grime and the unpleasantness, as well as to get her scattered thoughts in order. Eisen followed her into the bathroom, watching as she sat on the tub's edge and drew the water with the ease of long custom.

Not bothered with any preamble, he plunged into another subject of discussion.

"Kaen, I meant what I said." 

She appeared to not hear his cryptic statement, idly tracing a pattern on the rising water, not daring to look up.

"You know… about us getting married," he added, by way of explanation.

_How can he talk about this just like that? Is this so simple a matter to him?_

"That's why you mentioned it on the phone? Hoping to spring a surprise, were you? I can't say I was much impressed-" 

He sat beside her on the rim of the tub, which remained in position by appearing to defy gravity, and reached to turn off the tap. The sound of running water ceased.

"Well, I shouldn't have blurted it on the phone, it's true. But, come now, Kaen, it can't have been a total surprise to you—we've been together since junior high and you've been the only woman for me for all that time. It's time we made things permanent."

Kaen was still gazing into the water, almost as if she was expecting some divine sign to guide her thoughts and decisions, not trusting herself to speak.The bruise on her leg was bleeding a little. Eisen saw the seeping blood and thinking that her attention was absorbed in that, he quickly stood up.

"You'd better take your bath now… and I'll get you some stuff for those scratches. We'll talk more after you come out, okay? Oh, and I should call your folks. They'll be worried." 

The door shut behind him, giving her her privacy. She shrugged off the towel and stretched into the bath, shuddering as the cold water bit into the scrapes and cuts. Eisen's voice drifted in to her clearly as he spoke to her mother on the phone, calming her anxieties and reassuring her as to her daughter's whereabouts. 

She wondered if he truly liked her and her family as he professed to do, a detail she had taken for granted so long. 

_"We have to make excuses for foreigners, ne? They're all odd."_

_Maybe that's what he thinks about me. Odd. But he never showed it before… or maybe I never saw it._

Kaen could not understand why she was feeling differently to him— this was the same person she adored and cared so much about. She decided that her small accident and the long hours at _Yuuan_ were to blame for her low spirits. She would have to talk to Eisen about everything first. Talking things over always provided one with the right solution, Kaen knew from long experience. Feeling lighter in mind, she began scrubbing herself in earnest and winced aloud when her nails made contact with the wounds.

"Ow!!"

"K-chan, are you finished? My flight is at five in the morning and I can't seem to find one of my suitcases… my ties are missing too. Just take a look, will you?"

"It's probably under your bureau, or wait… I'll be out in a minute." 

She came out of the water and was soon out of the bathroom, wearing a night robe. She helped him pack as they discussed the future, and the enormity of their possible decision to marry.

In the midst of all this, at the very back of Kaen's mind, the blonde stranger's voice kept repeating like a cracked record, an echo of some long-forgotten conversation… only it was without words, a part of the silence of memory. 

***__

_~*~ Contrary to what the wise old man had said, a kami or spirit cannot avert any danger threatening those they follow by merely watching over them. We may bring good luck, but when the moment comes that a person has to yield to his karma, we become impotent spectators of the play of fate. That is precisely what happened when Kaen was struck by the blast of lightning. However, I did know that she would be protected by the power that sleeps within her, and so should come to no harm… and I did know she was wearing trendy shoes with thick rubber soles. _

_Anyway, I would have preferred to see more signs of recognition from Nakago on seeing Kaen. All he has shown is perfunctory kindness… but again, I am impatient to see them as they were, as the people I knew. Perhaps that is selfish of me, but Nakago is the only person left who was part of my youth. It is disconcerting to see him as a complete, aloof, stranger. And it is even more disconcerting to see Kaen in an intimate relationship with another man who does not seem suited to her. A spirit can tell these things. _

_But of course, it is not my business to interfere in human lives._

_I look up to the heavens to see if the stars have come out. It is still raining; the drops falling through me, within me, to the welcoming earth, the swansong of the departing storm. As clouds trail off the night skies, a ghostly image of a dragon is visible for an instant before it disappears. My vision is not human to plead confusion of sight. _

_The shadow of the god of war stretches across the distant horizon.~*~_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Coming next – Chapter III : **Renewing Acquaintance**

***

Author's note: About this fic… Since this is a story of seiryuu seishi, each one of them will get adequate, separate, treatment, be it Miboshi, Ashitare or Tomo (I hope this pleases you, Moonangelchan! ^_^). 

A huge thank you to all my reviewers! You people are wonderful!! :D

Thank you very much for reading this fic! 


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